Thank you!
Wonder the nordost Sort Kone…. More effect on the clock instead of the DAC?
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Steve’s system can eat mine for lunch (!) I’ve only got two components: Rossini + Boulder, running direct, with both units on the floor. (Haters gonna hate!) ; )
I received my Rossini with the Apex upgrade tonight. Because I changed so many things at once (+Apex, amp, all signal cables, ethernet cables), I can’t give an accurate comparison, but these are my first impressions:
- More musical
- Incredibly clean, as if I’m hearing every note
- Background seems blacker, just hearing all of the instruments more clearly
- Overall simply more engaging
- Great job dCS!
I’m listening to a disk I know well: Andy Bey, American Song (Redbook; which I highly recommend–can’t believe the MoFi guys didn’t re-digitize/remaster this one!)
Cheers.
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It lives! 
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Steve- that’s a great setup!!! Congrat 
Allow me to ask why you need an Aurender here and how does it sound vs dCS Player?
I’ve had the Aurender N20 for almost a year and I have to say, it’s a great addition to my system. I have added 2 x 4TB of Samsung Evo solid state drive and ripped my collection of CD’s (including SACD’s and DVD-A discs) to the N20.
I compared the N20 to the flagship W20SE and the Pink Faun flagship, both of which cost £25k, on extended home dem, via my dealer. Just on sound quality, I don’t think that the N20 gives up anything (especially via AES/EBU connection and reclocked via the Vivaldi Master Word Clock, which in turn, is fed a 10MHz reference signal from my Mutec Ref10 SE-120).
Frankly, I don’t think there’s much in it, between the Vivaldi Transport and the Aurender N20, under optimum listening conditions!
For accessibility and convenience, having my complete digital library at my fingertips (Apple iPad controller with Aurender Conductor app) together with access to Qobuz Studio and radio stations, offers a complete listening solution.
When the mood takes me, I listen to CD’s/ SACD’s via the Vivaldi transport or even vinyl, via TW Acustics Raven One tt/Graham Phanton II tonearm/ Audio Technica ART20 mc/ Whest Titan Pro phono stage.
In the event of a house fire, I can just grab the Aurender N20 (most portable component) and salvage the majority of my music collection!
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That assumes that the fire is of such a nature that you can get into the room where the N20 is. It may not. You may also be burgled and the N20, being portable, may be easy to steal.
Please make proper backups if you do not already and store one copy off-site ( e.g. with a friend). A mate of mine was burgled a couple of years ago and they took his backups too ( music, wedding photos, photos of kids growing up etc).
I share this view.
Plus radio stations from around the world: RFI, RNE, DW, Radio Swiss Classic, etc.
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I think you may be stating the obvious!
Backups taken care of and stored as per your post! 
It was really a matter of not having enough Wilson Pedestals to go around. I am not certain I hear a difference on the clock but the DAC on Pedestals seemed to work. I also have Magico M-Pods on the tape deck.
Which turntable? Looks like you have a Graham tonearm.
Really beautiful setup in any event.
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TW Acustics Raven One.
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I added the Aurender N20 to the Bartok via AES/EBU and it was a revelation.
I still also have a Roon setup and that’s one “backup” and I also keep a second backup separately.
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Excellent table.
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Just reading my way through this thread @all2ofme and came across your T2. I think you said somewhere this is one of Kerry’s builds, is that right? His handiwork is impeccable and the casework is lovely! Mine looks like a carbuncle by comparison!
One thing I don’t understand though is why he has reversed the circuit board to place the input tubes at the front and the output tubes at the rear when the inputs are at the rear and the outputs at the front? Means you have to lead the signal (amplified and unamplified, which are both bad for different reasons) fore-and-aft the full length of the chassis twice unnecessarily. 
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Which 'phones are you using with the T2 Ben? Black cable, so these look like one of the later models. Have you had a chance to try any of the earlier “brown cable” models (SR-Ω, SR-007)?
That CFA3 looks interesting, I love that the gain is switchable to eleven! Did you say that was made in Sweden? Do you have the circuit diagram by any chance?
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For now, I’m using X9000s, but would love to see what the Shangri-La Sr is like. There’s a fantastic thread on Head-fi about those and other great headphones…makes for dangerous reading.
My other favourite headphones are the Abyss 1266 Phi TC, which is what’s plugged into the CFA3 most of the time. That amp is courtesy of “Dukei” on Head-fi, and he’s both in the same country as you are and a sweetheart to talk to. Bet he’d hook you up with diagrams galore.
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Driving my Bartok directly to Nagra 300P and the result is amazing! It is also powered by Nagra Classic INT to Magico A1 and I enjoy both equally.
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On trial, the last one that was produced.
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